Make sure you don’t miss any of the best-loved films of 2021, available to stream right now on Netflix, Prime Video and Sky Cinema
By Virgin TV Edit
Jaw-dropping blockbusters. Thought-provoking indie flicks. Five-star documentary films. Yep, there’s been plenty of movie magic to feast your eyes on these past 12 months.
It’s been one hell of year for cinema, despite the fact they were closed for half of it. But with so much on offer, you’d be forgiven for missing some of the best. That’s why we’ve put our heads together, and gathered all our favourites in one place, from Netflix, Prime Video and Sky Cinema
Read on for our essential guide...
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 12A
In 1939 Suffolk, a wealthy widow (Carey Mulligan) hires an amateur archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) to investigate the mysterious mounds on her estate. However, when news of Anglo-Saxon discoveries reach Cambridge, a power struggle ensues for control of the excavation.
Oxygen
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 15
When Liz (Mélanie Laurent) wakes up in a locked cryogenic chamber, it’s a race against time to escape before she runs out of air. Little does she know, the reason for her imprisonment is much more terrifying than she ever thought imaginable.
The Guilty
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 15
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a disgraced police officer who is forced to work as a 911 call operator while awaiting trial. When he receives a distressing call, it’s a race against the clock to find the caller – and to find out the truth.
Hypnotic
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 15
In this high-stakes thriller, Jenn (Kate Siegel) is seeking therapy to address her anxieties, when she’s introduced to the highly-regarded Dr Meade. It seems too good to be true – and in this case, it definitely is. After a few successful sessions, her reality gets turned upside down, with deadly consequences.
Malcolm & Marie
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 15
In this arty Sam Levinson picture, we meet filmmaker Malcolm (John David Washington) and his girlfriend Marie (Zendaya), returning home after Malcolm’s big movie premiere. But this isn’t a love story – this is a dissection of what goes into them.
Stowaway
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 12
Stowaway tells the story of an unexpected guest discovered aboard a three-person mission to the red planet. But when the life-support system becomes compromised, it’s likely the crew will run out of oxygen before reaching Mars with a fourth person onboard. Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim and Toni Collette star.
Army Of The Dead
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 18
In a not-too-distant future, the zombie apocalypse has overrun Las Vegas. But there’s cold, hard cash in the vaults beneath the casinos, leading to a heist like no other – especially with an undead tiger on the loose.
Army Of Thieves
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 15
Before Army of the Dead, there was Army of Thieves, which tells the origin story of fan favourite, Ludwig Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer) – the master safe-cracker.
The Woman In The Window
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 15
Based on the bestselling novel, this stars Amy Adams as a doctor confined to her New York home by crippling agoraphobia. Bored and naturally curious, she becomes obsessed with watching the new family across the street, until she witnesses something she wishes she hadn’t. Now she just needs the police to believe her.
Tick, Tick… Boom!
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 12A
Before Jonathan Larson became famous for his rock musical, Rent, he was working at a diner and trying to get his big break on Broadway before his 30th birthday. Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and starring Andrew Garfield, this energetic biopic celebrates the legend, detailing his dedication to the Tony-winning musical.
Red Notice
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 12A
Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) is the second greatest art thief in the world, and the FBI want his help to catch number one (Gal Gadot), so he is forced to team up with investigator John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson). In what is said to be Netflix’s most expensive original to date, there’s guaranteed globe-trotting action from start to finish.
Worth
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 12
How much is a human life worth? That’s the question lawyer Kenneth Feinberg (Michael Keaton) is faced with in Worth, based on true events following the 9/11 attacks. He leads a small team of attorneys that must decide on a fair way of calculating the compensation owed to every victim’s family.
The Harder They Fall
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 15
In this super slick western from director Jeymes Samuel, an outlaw called Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) is getting the band back together, to make sure an old rival is taken down for good. The outstanding cast also includes Idris Elba, Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield and Zazie Beats.
Moxie
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 12
Amy Poehler directs and stars in this quirky and uplifting comedy. When 16-year-old Vivian (Hadley Robinson) finds inspiration in her mother’s nonconformist past, it’s time to put an end to the sexist, outdated behaviours of her high school. To get the word out, she decides to anonymously publishing a zine, quickly gaining traction with other girls at school.
The Power of the Dog
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 12A
This one’s got Oscar buzz written all over it. In this beautifully shot film from writer/director Jane Campion (The Piano, Top Of The Lake), we meet Benedict Cumberbatch as a stoic, cold rancher in the Old West. When his brother (Jesse Plemons) brings home a new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her son, he goes out of his way to make life difficult.
Bruised
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix. Cert 15
In Halle Berry’s debut as director, she stars as a retired MMA fighter who’s lacking purpose outside the ring. But when her estranged young son turns up on her doorstep one night, it’s time to get back to what she does best, regardless of how many times she gets knocked down.
The Unforgivable
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix from Friday 10 December. Cert 15
After two decades behind bars, Sandra Bullock’s Ruth Slater is getting out, but adjusting to today’s society is no mean feat – especially for a convicted cop-killer. Her main goal is to reconnect with the estranged sister she raised before her arrest. But with a new family in the picture, trust issues aren’t even the half of it. The film is based on the British miniseries The Unforgiven, written by Sally Wainwright and starring Suranne Jones.
The Hand Of God
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix from Wednesday 15 December. Cert TBC
This Italian film is the biographical story of its Oscar-winning director, Paolo Sorrentino. It explores his adolescent years in the 1980s, in which he returns to Naples to discover a family tragedy, and his unexpected, life-saving encounter with none other than Diego Maradona.
Don’t Look Up
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix from Christmas Eve. Cert TBC
In this star-studded film from Adam McKay (The Big Short, Vice), Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence are amateur astronomers, armed with some sobering news. An asteroid is on a collision course with Earth, but getting world leaders to take them seriously isn’t how it usually goes in disaster films. Sharing the spotlight are Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Ariana Grande and Chris Evans to name but a few.
The Lost Daughter
Find it in Apps & Games > Netflix from New Year’s Eve. Cert TBC
Maggie Gyllenhaal makes her directorial debut with this gripping psychological drama based on the novel by Elena Ferrante. While holidaying alone, Olivia Colman becomes obsessed with a young woman and has to reckon with her own past.
Prime Video
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 12
Jamie knows he’s not like the other boys at his Sheffield high school, or his conservative father. What he does know is that he’s going to be a performer, he’s going to be on stage, and he’s going to sing his heart out – he’s going to be a drag queen! Based on the hit West End show, the film features original songs from The Feeling’s Dan Gillespie Sells.
The Green Knight
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 15
Dev Patel stars in David Lowery’s Arthurian tale, following the journey of a lone warrior to fulfil his destiny. With sweeping magical themes and beautiful dreamscape imagery, it’s a must-watch for fantasy fans.
The Mauritanian
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 15
In this true story drama, we meet Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) who’s being held in Guantánamo Bay, without charge, for his supposed involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks. After countless claims of innocence, it’s down to a defence attorney (Jodie Foster), to try to get him out.
The Tomorrow War
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 12
Chris Pratt stars in this sci-fi action thriller. Thirty years in the future, humankind is protecting Earth against a powerful alien enemy, so time-traveling military personnel have come back from 2051 to recruit civilians in 2021, in a last-ditch attempt to win their war.
Guns Akimbo
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 18
Daniel Radcliffe is Miles, a down-and-out nobody with little to lose. So, when he wakes up with pistols bolted to his hands, in a real-life deathmatch being broadcast online, it’s time to get busy living.
Boss Level
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 15
In this sci-fi thriller, Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) is living in a literal time loop, in which he gets killed over and over again. We pick up with him on assassination number 144. Not only is he unable to break the endless cycle, but he doesn’t know why he’s in the crosshairs.
Chaos Walking
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 12
When Viola (Daisy Ridley) crash lands on a planet inhabited solely by men, whose thoughts she can see and hear, she quickly learns she’s not safe. Thankfully Todd (Tom Holland) vows to protect her, putting himself in harm’s way.
One Night in Miami…
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 15
Malcom X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke (played here by Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr) were giants of their time. In One Night in Miami…, directed by Regina King, they’re all in the same room, but tensions soon reach boiling point when they begin to compare beliefs and their respective successes.
Wrath of Man
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video from Friday 10 December. Cert TBC
Guy Ritchie is back with more tough guys and shoot-outs in his new film, Wrath of Man. When new security guard, Jason Statham, runs into a spot of bother with some would-be robbers, his colleagues are left slack-jawed when the new recruit expertly takes down a barrage of men with precision. It isn’t long before his true purpose is revealed.
Cinderella
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 12
In this magical, modern retelling of the fairy tale, Camilla Cabello is dress-making Cinderella, Billy Porter is the Fairy Godmother, and Romesh Ranganathan is a mouse. With tongue-in-cheek quips and outstanding visuals, it’s fun for all the family.
Coming 2 America
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video. Cert 12A
King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his loyal sidekick, Semmi (Arsenio Hall), are back in New York in this long-awaited comedy sequel. When Akeem discovers he has sired a son, who’s living somewhere in Queens, it’s time to get the family back together.
Being the Ricardos
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video from Tuesday 21 December. Cert TBC
In Aaron Sorkin’s biographical drama, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem play on and off screen couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, stars of the classic sitcom, I Love Lucy. But the much-loved actors run into problems when the press starts to probe into their private lives.
Sky Cinema
In The Heights
Available from Friday 17 December in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert U
Based on the musical from Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lin-Manuel Miranda, this is an explosion of the feel-good factor brought to the screen. Set in the Latino community of Washington Heights, the film follows an array of local characters, each with their own stories, dreams and disappointments. Get on your feet!
Mortal Kombat
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 15
In the latest cinematic adaption of the 1990s video game, it’s up to Earth’s finest warriors to take down the merciless Sub-Zero. It might lack the campness of the original films (and the absolute banger of a soundtrack), but it more than makes up for it by committing the most iconic MK moves to the screen in truly gory glory.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 18
In the third instalment of the Conjuring films, we’re back with real-life paranormal investigative couple, Ed and Lorraine Warren (a demonologist and a clairvoyant, respectively). Here, they are exploring the case of Arne Johnson, a murderer who claims he was possessed by a demon.
The Colour Room
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert PG
Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor plays the-real life ceramic artist Clarice Cliff, an incredibly talented Art Deco designer. We meet her in the industrial British midlands in the 1920s as she hops from factory to factory, eventually impressing factory owner Colley Shorter (Matthew Goode, The Imitation Game). She makes waves with her “Bizarre” range of pottery and goes on to become a household name.
Monster Family 2
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert PG
Featuring the voices of Nick Frost, Emily Watson, Jason Isaacs and Catherine Tate, this fun-filled monster sequel sees the Wishbone Family on a mission to save their friends from a monster hunter. Guaranteed family thrills in this Sky Original animation.
Breaking News In Yuba Country
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 15
In this dark comedy, Allison Janney (The West Wing) plays a woman whose husband goes missing. As she attempts to find him, she becomes a local celebrity and desperately attempts to keep herself in the spotlight, while her journalist half-sister (Mila Kunis) tries to find out the truth.
The United States Vs. Billie Holiday
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 15
Andra Day was nominated for an Oscar, and won a Golden Globe, for her turn as the legendary Billie Holiday in this incredible real-life story that tells the tale of when the jazz singer was targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics. Youu won’t want to miss it.
Willy’s Wonderland
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 15
When Nic Cage finds himself at the mercy of a gang of bloodthirsty animatronic creatures in an abandoned kids party restaurant, there’s little time for negotiations. In this crazed, gory horror, Cage shows them who’s boss.
A Boy Called Christmas
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert PG
Adapted from Matt Haig’s bestselling book, A Boy Called Christmas introduces us to Nikolas (newcomer Henry Lawfull). He goes on an adventure to search for his father, who set out to find Elfhelm, the village of the elves. Along with a reindeer called Blitzen and a talking pet mouse (voiced by Stephen Merchant), Nikolas soon realises anything is possible if you just believe in the magic all around you. Toby Jones, Sally Hawkins, Kristen Wiig, Jim Broadbent and Maggie Smith round out the star-studded cast.
Dogtanian And The Three Muskehounds
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert U
Fans of the original 1981 TV series rejoice, this rebooted CGI adventure featuring the greatest swordsman in his quest to join the Muskehounds is just as joyful. CGI animation can often feel cold compared to its hand-drawn counterparts, but not Dogtanian. All for one...
The Suicide Squad
Available from Boxing Day in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 15
Following on from 2016’s Suicide Squad, director James Gunn (Guardians Of The Galaxy) reintroduces us to the merry band of misfits with a death wish, including Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), plus a bunch of new faces, like Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena) and King Shark (voiced by Sylvester Stallone). These supervillains are locked up in the Belle Reve prison, but when they have the opportunity to get out by joining Task Force X, they jump at the chance.
Godzilla Vs Kong
Available from Thursday 23 December in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 12
In this incredible clash of the titans-tale, King Kong is going head-to-head with Godzilla. But it’s not just all mindless, city-levelling violence, the fate of the world is on the line. Millie Bobby Brown, Alexander Skarsgård and Rebecca Hall star.
Peter Rabbit 2
Available from Christmas Day in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert U
The mischievous Beatrix Potter bunny is back for more in Peter Rabbit 2. In this instalment, Peter (voiced by James Corden) heads out for the big city. But, as it turns out, it can be quite a scary place for a certain somebunny.
Gunpowder Milkshake
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 15
Karen Gillan and Lena Headey play a smooth mother-daughter assassin duo who must protect a small girl from a ruthless crime syndicate. This is one classy (and pretty violent) affair.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 15
This is director Zack Snyder’s definitive vision for his Justice League movie, after some well-publicised issues around the orignal release and fan outcry for “The Snyder Cut”. Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), in the wake of Superman’s death, must assemble a team to fight a Superman-sized threat to life as we know it. A black-and-white version, Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Justice Is Grey, is also available.
Judas And The Black Messiah
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 15
This cleaned up in the Oscars this year, and it’s easy to see why. This biographical drama about the betrayal of Fred Hampton, chairman of the Black Panther Party in late-1960s Chicago, is an incredible piece of work. Daniel Kaluuya stars as Hampton, with LaKeith Stanfield as his nemesis.
Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar
Available in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert 15
All you really need to know about this comedy is that it’s from the women who gave the world the instant classic of Bridesmaids. That, and that the plot is the title. So sit back and laugh your socks off. Starring Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo.
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